It’s been a long time since Colt Stafford shrugged off his cowboy legacy for
shiny Manhattan loafers and a promising career on Wall Street. But when stock
market manipulations leave him financially strapped, the oldest son of
legendary rancher Sam Stafford decides to return to the sprawling Double S
ranch in Gray’s Glen, Washington. He’s broke, but not broken, and it’s time to
check in with his ailing father, and get his legs back under him by climbing
into the saddle again.

He doesn’t expect to come home to a stranger pointing a loaded gun at his
chest— a tough yet beautiful woman that Sam hired as the house manager. Colt
senses there’s more to Angelina Morales than meets the eye and he’s determined
to find out what she’s hiding...and why.

Colt’s return brings new challenges. Younger brother Nick has been Sam’s
right-hand man at the ranch for years and isn’t thrilled at having Colt insert
himself into Double S affairs. And the ranch’s contentious relationship with
the citizens of Gray’s Glen asks all the Stafford men to examine their hearts
about what it truly means to be a neighbor. And as Wall Street recovers,
will Colt succumb to the call of the financial district’s wealth and power—or
finally the courage to stay in the saddle for good?

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MY THOUGHTS

Perfect title and gorgeous cover for this book about the prodigal cowboy that needs to find his way home, but first, let's get pass the beautiful girl pointing a gun at him! Yep! That's how this Western cowboy story starts. Colt comes home to a loaded gun pointed at him from a gorgeous girl, who happens to be his father's new house manager. Divine! Ruth Logan Herne's Back in the Saddle is a modern-day story of the lost son parable, but unlike the Biblical story, both the father and the sons have some healing and spiritual growth to go through first.

I enjoyed Back in the Saddle tremendously, more so on the dynamics of the father-son relationships in the past and how it influenced them in the present. It's intricacy lies with their own stubbornness and grief of the lost of love ones, and ultimately how broken they were as a family. But with the return of Colt, and possibly Trey, along with a praying new house manager, Angelina, maybe, just maybe the broken can be healed, and a new life set to begin? Will Angelina's secret be a hindrance or will it bring them closer?

I find the romance downplayed in comparisons to the relational aspects between family members, workers and townspeople, but it worked out tastefully as we see how people can come together and work towards a common good. I look forward to many new stories with the Double S Ranch and these characters. So Ruthy, please don't tell me we have long to wait!

O, one last bit, the moment Colt "saved" Noah and brought him to the main house, that was the hero moment I relish, along with his time with Noah.

"It's time to set things right, and God doesn't work on man's schedule. He's got His own calendar, and it would be plain stupid of me to run out of time." (170 - ARC)

NOTE: I received a complimentary ARC of this book from the publisher, through Blogging for Books for an honest review. (Please also note that an ARC may not be edited with the same page number as a finished copy.)

TO PURCHASE A COPY

GIVEAWAY: Head on over to Seekerville for your chance to win 1 of 5 copies of Back in the Saddle and check out Ruthy's post on all kinds of heroes. Hurry, through to this evening only. Winners will be announced on this Saturday 's Seekerville Weekend Edition.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ruth
Logan Herne has more than half a million books in print, including fifteen Love
Inspired contemporary novels. Back in the Saddle is the first
book in her new western romance series. Ruth is a founding member of Seekerville,
a popular writing collective blog. A country girl who loves the big city, Ruth
and her husband live on a farm in upstate New York.